Royal Ascot Preview: Can the Favourites Deliver on Racing’s Grandest Stage?

Royal Ascot is the pinnacle of Europe’s premier Flat racing season. The headline event is highlighted by eight Group 1 contests, ranging from the five-furlong King Charles III Stakes to the historic Gold Cup, which are the forefront of five days of world-class racing.

Tuesday

The feature race on day one is Royal Ascot’s curtain-raiser, the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes, which takes place over the straight mile.

Some outstanding horses have landed the Queen Anne Stakes in recent years, none more so than the legendary Frankel, winner of the 2012 renewal by 11 lengths. A performance that has gone down in history.

The betting market is currently pointing towards former Guineas winner Notable Speech, along with Damysus and Zeus Olympios.

There are two more top-level contests on the opening day, the King Charles III Stakes and the St James’s Palace Stakes.

The five-furlong dash often attracts some of the world’s best sprinters and has been won by runners from Australia, Hong Kong, the USA, and Spain since the turn of the century. The current ante-post favourite is Australia’s Joliestar, who is ahead of 2024 winner Asfoora in the market.

The St James’s Palace Stakes, which takes place on the round course over a mile, is for three-year-old colts and often attracts leading horses from the European Classics, the 2000 Guineas, the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, and the Irish 2,000 Guineas. Bow Echo is odds-on in the ante-post betting after a dominant display in the 2000 Guineas.

Other highlights on Tuesday’s card include the Group 2 Coventry Stakes over six furlongs for two-year-olds and the Ascot Stakes, a heritage handicap over two and a half miles.

Wednesday

The feature contest on day two, on Wednesday, is the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes for older horses over ten furlongs.

Aidan O’Brien has an astonishing record at Ascot and has trained five winners for this race. Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Daryzis the current ante-post favourite for the 2026 renewal following a dazzling display in the Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp.

There is a trio of Group 2 events on Wednesday, the Queen Mary Stakesover the minimum trip for juvenile fillies, the Queen’s Vase over 1m 6f for three-year-olds, plus the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes for older fillies and mares over a mile on the round course.

Whilst the Royal Hunt Cup over the straight mile is a heritage handicap and one of the day’s big betting heats.

Thursday

The feature contest on day three, on Thursday, is Royal Ascot’s main attraction, the Group 1 Gold Cup over a stamina-sapping two and a half miles.

The race’s list of winners features the greatest stayers of all time, including Ardross, Le Moss, Sagaro, Stradivarius, and the Aidan O’Brien-trained Yeats, who registered a record four victories.

Indeed, the Master of Ballydoyle, Aidan O’Brien, has trained the winner of the Gold Cup on nine occasions, whilst Coolmore’s Sue Magnier has owned nine winners.

The current ante-post favourite for 2026 is last year’s Goodwood Cup and St Leger hero Scandinavia, with defending champion Trawlerman next best in the betting.

There are two Group 2 events on Thursday, the Norfolk Stakes over five furlongs for juveniles and the Ribblesdale Stakes over a mile and a half for Classic generation fillies.

The Britannia Stakesover the straight mile is a heritage handicap for three-year-olds and one of the day’s big betting events.

Friday

The feature contest on day four, on Friday, is the Group 1 Coronation Stakes for three-year-old fillies over eight furlongs on the round course.

It often features runners that previously contested fillies’ Classics over a mile in the 1000 Guineas, the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, or the Irish 1,000 Guineas. Cercene, who had finished third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas on her most recent start, sprang a 33-1 surprise in the 2025 renewal under Gary Carroll for trainer Joseph Murphy.

True Love is the current ante-post favourite after taking the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.

The day’s other Group 1 is the Commonwealth Cup for three-year-olds over six furlongs and is the newest top-tier contest at Royal Ascot, having been inaugurated in 2015.

A key race on the undercard is the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes for Classic generation colts over a mile and a half, which is often known as the Ascot Derby.

Saturday

The feature contest on day five, on Saturday, is the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakesover six furlongs.

Australian sprinting sensation Black Caviar famously landed the 2012 renewal, whilst fellow Aussie Chosir and Godolphin’s Blue Point have followed up here, having won the five-furlong equivalent on day one. Charlie Hills’s Khaadem caused an 80-1 upset in 2023 before scoring again the following year.

Joliestar, trained by Chris Waller in Australia, is the current ante-post favourite for Saturday’s showpiece as well as the King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday.

The Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes over a mile and a half for older horses is a key supporting contest and was won last season by Godolphin’s globetrotting star Rebel’s Romance. Whilst the Wokingham Stakes over six furlongs is a historic heritage handicap, and often generates big betting interest.